Las Vegas
Having blossomed
from a dessert in the southeastern part of Nevada
100 years ago, Las Vegas now dazzles
over 38.9 million visitors a year.
Visitors stay at some of the most stunning hotels in the world, indulge
in food perfected by five-star restaurants, and play at casinos, pools, health
spas, and golf courses year-round. With
a population of 591,536 (in 2006) and millions of visitors a year, Las
Vegas is one city booming with life.
The Las
Vegas McCarren International
Airport is located nine miles from
the city. It is the principal commercial
serving airport for Las Vegas. McCarren comprises 95 aircraft gates at two
separate terminal buildings. This
airport is part of the Clark County Airport System, which owns and operates
four aviation facilities: North
Las Vegas Airport,
Henderson Executive
Airport, Jean
Sport Aviation Center,
and Overton/Perkins Field. The North
Las Vegas Airport
and Henderson Executive
Airport are located just minuets
from the Las Vegas Strip and are good alternatives to the McCarren
Airport for those looking to avoid
the crowds. The Jean
Sport Aviation Center
is located twenty miles south of Las Vegas
and is ideal for recreational aviation.
Overton/Perkins Field is seventy miles from Las
Vegas, but just minutes from Lake Mead’s
Overton Beach.
When booking cheap
flights to Las Vegas, be sure to do
so with a reputable carrier, as some lesser known carriers may be uncomfortable
or worse. If you book first class, be
prepared to pay a great price as you are flying to a renowned city. When boarding your flight to Las
Vegas, be prepared for long boarding waits. Arriving and departing Las
Vegas is bound to be chaotic, so be sure to plan your
shuttles or taxi costs ahead of time. Keep in mind both time change and climate
change if you are coming from a relatively cool area. During the summer, temperatures extend from
the low 70’s to over 100 degrees. Winters, on the whole, are mild and pleasant
with average temperatures in the 60’s.
Pacific storms occasionally produce rainfall for Las
Vegas, but surrounding mountains act as barriers for
moisture. Remember, you are in the
desert, so drink plenty of water.
Among the most
renowned Las Vegas hotels are the Fremont Hotel and Casino, the Egyptian-themed
Luxor, the ritzy Plaza Hotel and Casino, the
extravagant yet fairly low-priced Four Queens, the boisterous and
ever-entertaining Treasure Island, the non-flashy but just as classic Binions Casino Hotel, and the green and gold embossed
Fitzgeralds Casino Hotel. Some of the
most luxurious off-strip Las Vegas
hotels include the Marriot, the Palms, and the Hard Rock. “Viva Vision”, the
550,000-watt, overhead light and sound show, is a nightly affair that takes
place at the Fremont. This ostentatious show sums up the intensity
of the city.
For those looking
for a less tourist streamed and more inexpensive stay, be sure to look into Las
Vegas hotels such as Sams Town, Santa Fe Station, and
Arizona Charlie’s, all located off the Las Vegas strip. The Rio offers a nice
mix of both the on-and off- strip hotel and casino life. Resorts in Las Vegas
include the Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa, Green Valley Ranch Resort, Summer
Bay Resort, and Alexis Park Resort.
For a family
vacation in Las Vegas, hotels to
check out include the Renaissance-themed Excalibur, the Luxor, the New
York New York, the Circus Circus, and the Stratosphere. The Excalibur provides plenty of
entertainment, including the Tournament of Kings show. The Luxor
has an astonishing IMAX theater, and the New York
New York has its world-renowned roller
coaster. The MGM Grand and Monte
Carlo offer family friendly atmospheres being so
closely located to the Showcase Mall and Gameworks. The mall has shopping and movie theaters,
while Gameworks prides itself on having one of the
greatest video game collections.
Some of Las
Vegas’s best shows include Cirque du
Soleil, Elton John Red Piano, and Beatles LOVE. Others include the Blue Man Group who perform at the Luxor,
the family friendly Lance Burton Magic Show at the Monte
Carlo, New York New
York’s dueling pianos show, Elton John at Caesar’s
Palace, Barry Manilow’s performance at the Las Vegas
Hilton, and multitudes more.
If you’re looking to enjoy Las
Vegas’s golf courses, there are the expensive
championship courses such as the Bali Hai Golf Club,
the Royal Links Golf Club, and the Stallion Mountain Golf Club. If you would rather go off the Strip to golf,
there are places such as Eagle Crest, Highland
Falls, and Palm
Valley. TCP at the Canyons, Desert Pines, and Paiute Golf Resort are other popular golf courses in Las
Vegas.
Of course, there
are the Las Vegas Wedding Chapels. With
more than 122,000 couples a year obtaining marriage licenses, Las
Vegas is easily the marriage capital of the
world. Las Vegas Hotel Wedding chapels
include Caesar’s Las Vegas Wedding Chapel, Flamingo Las Vegas Wedding Chapel,
Mandalay Bay Las Vegas Wedding Chapel, Paris Hotel Las Vegas Wedding Chapel,
and Wynn Resort Las Vegas Wedding Chapel.
The Little Chapel of the Flowers has a more traditional Las
Vegas wedding package.
The wedding package offers an internet broadcast of your wedding if
finding flights to Vegas is hard. With
this great deal your family can still enjoy the ceremony!